This week’s episode was definitely on the slower side, with the capture of the newest card being snuck in at the very end.

The episode starts with Sakura goes out for a bit to get some groceries for dinner, and she bumps into Akiho who is also out meal shopping. However because Akiho’s new to town and still doesn’t know which stores are the best to get groceries from, Sakura offers to take her to the stores she considers to be the best.

While they’re out, Sakura notices a little stuffed bunny hanging off of Akiho’s bag. It’s super cute! Sakura accidentally lets slip that she has Kero, so Akiho says she will bring her bunny to school the next day if Sakura will bring Kero. Sakura agrees, and as we see later she decides to take no chance that Kero might escape on her – she ties him to her smartphone with a little leash, as if he was a cellphone strap. ^^;;

Once she returns home, Sakura gets a call from Meiling and the girls talk for a bit. Kero has a freak out over being picked on by Meiling, and Meiling says she wants to come visit Japan during her summer break.

Later at dinner when Sakura is sitting down to eat with her father and older brother, she hears an unusual sound before being pulled away into a “dream space” of sorts. However you want to describe it. In this alternate reality, Sakura can see a giant cog with the robed individual standing on top of it. Large clocks appear behind the cog, and as usual the mysterious individual says or does nothing, only stares at Sakura. What is their intent? What do they want from Sakura? Her key? This encounter was a little different from the last few in that the robed person didn’t try to take Sakura’s Clow key. Anyways only moments later Sakura is snapped back to reality by her dad.

The next day is like any other normal school day. Sakura and Akiho do some reading out loud in their Japanese class, and they both ace the task. The highlight of this scene is that Sakura’s teacher talks about the piece they’re reading and mentions a type of dream called a premonition. This gets Sakura thinking; could her dreams be showing her a possible future?

Then during lunchtime Tomoyo reveals a surprise to Sakura, Syaora, Chiharu and Akiho: she got permission to rent the music room over their lunch. Why? Tomoyo has brought some music to school and she wants Akiho to sing it with her. While Akiho is initially reluctant, Sakura and Chiharu quickly override her doubts and Akiho agrees.

The girls’ singing is beautiful, and they make a talented duet. Since Akiho has not yet decided which club to join up to this point, her friends encourage her to join the Chorus Club. Also, Syaoran’s piano playing is amazing! I’m jealous because I’d love to be able to play the piano like that.

After the duet Sakura hears the unfamiliar noise from the night before, and together she and Syaoran start to subtly check the room for a card. Tomoyo is the bestest best friend ever as she finds a way to get Akiho and Chiharu out of the room as quickly as possible, leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone in the music room.

Sakura finally recognizes the weird noise: it sounds like Tomoyo’s old camcorder. Sakura notices the card hiding in a portrait on the wall behind her, so she wastes no time changing her Clow key and capturing the card. Which one is it? Record.

Syaoran’s of course glad that the card is captured, but he’s also upset. He didn’t feel any magic in the room, and hadn’t noticed the card at all. This means that if Sakura is ever in danger, he’ll have a much harder time protecting her if he can’t pick up on this new magic, or anyone wielding it.

This card seems like an unusual one to add to this new deck of clear cards. More than anything it just feels gimmicky. Realistically, when could Sakura use it? When Tomoyo wants her to model a new outfit or something? The preview for the next episode shows Sakura using the card at Tomoyo’s house while she’s trying out a new outfit, and I feel like that might be about as much use as the card gets. I hope Clear Card-hen surprises me and gives this new card more than one way to shine in future episodes.

As for the dream sequence, I’m interpreting it as “time is running out”, or as a countdown until some event. Pretty standard guesses, I know. Anyways see everyone next week!

P.S – Where was Kero during the card capture? Sleeping like a baby in Sakura’s schoolbag. xD